Acharya Prashant explains that the value of a scripture depends entirely on the reader's intention, not on the scripture itself. He states that it is not about whether scriptures are useful, but about what one wants from them. If one seeks knowledge, they will get knowledge, but if one seeks liberation, that is something else entirely. The scripture itself is powerless; the reader decides what to make of it. With the right intention, scriptures are the greatest blessing one can receive. However, if the intention is mediocre or tainted, the scripture can do little. The speaker dismisses the debate over the usefulness of scriptures as frivolous, asserting that the real question is what the individual wants. He criticizes the modern trend of proudly claiming not to have read any scriptures, suggesting this does not make one more qualified. For a spiritual teacher to make such a claim raises doubts about their love for the Truth. He argues that if one truly loves the Truth, they would naturally want to read the works of past lovers of Truth, like Kabir Saheb. To stubbornly refuse to read these "love poems" for the Truth is suspicious. Acharya Prashant points out the hypocrisy of those who read all kinds of nonsense but refuse to read saints like Ashtavakra, Kabir, or Krishna. He suggests this avoidance is often a way to hide their inability to comprehend the scriptures, turning their ignorance into a virtue, which is damaging to the world. He contrasts this with figures like Osho, who was an avid reader of all scriptures and encouraged others to do the same, fielding questions from all traditions. He defines a true scripture as that which helps one get rid of mental nonsense like fear, lust, anger, and ignorance. By this definition, books on subjects like astrology or architecture do not qualify as scriptures. He concludes with a plea to never turn one's back on the saints and to always hold the scriptures in the highest esteem, never decrying, deriding, or ignoring them.
